Home again
by Arriane.Isobel
Summary: After a tragic accident kills his best friend, Merlin leaves Ealdor to see more of the world. Returning 15 years later, he finds that Ealdor isn't the place it was 15 years ago, and the attractive blonde man certainly wasn't there.


Merlin walked down the winding path to Ealdor.

Home, he thought. He hadn't had a home in 15 years. Golden leaves rain on him from trees he used to know so well.

He rubbed his hand over his cheek. He hadn't shaved in three or four days now.

As the dark descended he shivered as he wandered down the country lanes. He wished he'd dressed warmer but there were just some lessons he couldn't learn.

He glared at the gates that locked him out of his village. Gates wouldn't usually bother him, but he'd been walking for days on end now, and climbing over them seemed like climbing Everest.

It felt strange to see all the scenes of his childhood look so fragile and fractured. The old tire swing him and Will used to play on was gone, the tree just a stump.

He was sure the road wasn't always this long, he could hear the church bells ringing in the distance, and faint lights up ahead looked a league away.

Then again, he barely remembered Ealdor at all. It didn't even have the same September scent he used to know so well. He left when he was sixteen, after Will was killed in a tragic accident, he felt like he had to get away.

So he packed his backpack with the bare essentials, emptied his petty bank account, kissed his mother goodbye and got the first train going anywhere.

He did odd jobs, finding he was actually quite handy. He build up his money and got a plane ticket to Africa, helping build homes and schools, before moving onto Australia, then to new Zealand, where he met a man named Gwaine who had a sick sense of adventure. He'd spent 3 months climbing freezing mountains, and eating nothing but cereal bars and cheap energy drinks.

He'd met a pretty nurse called Freya in Sweden, and a beautifully noble man called Lance in Chile. He'd fallen in love a million times, and experienced the simple truths of life in Africa, and found that things weren't always about romance like they were in the movies.

The lights were getting brighter now, and the church bells had stopped. He'd finally made it to the village. Looking up to the large clock tower, he realised just how small Ealdor felt, and he'd never felt more at home.

The walk back to his mother's cottage was a painfully familiar one, crossing the small humpback bridge; he dared to look across at the playground that was eerily still. Once upon a time, He and will would play there for hours on end, fighting off dragons and savings princesses from enchanted towers and evil witches.

All of that was gone now. He stood at the end of the path for a long time. Staring at the cottage that had aged greatly in the last 15 years. There were cracks in the walls, and the windows looked like a change in the wind would shatter them. The once bright blue door was now dull and peeling. The plants outside were dying with the weather.

Someone next to him cleared their throat. How long had they been there?

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I'd like you to get away from there" They said. Merlin turned slowly to look at the intruder of his thoughts.

He was about the same height as Merlin, blond and beautiful and scowling, his arms folded protectively across his chest.

"I'm sorry, what?" Merlin shook his head, trying to make sense, he wasn't in the blokes way, he could easily move around him.

"You're obviously new here, and – if I'm being honest – a bit scary looking. I don't want you lurking around Huniths house, or anyone's house for that matter. They come here to get away from people who might harass them, and no, they won't put you up for the night." The blond man said.

"And you are?"

"Arthur Pendragon, my family took over the towns development a couple of years ago, I make sure no one gets bothered."

"Charmed, I'm sure"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I'm not new here, I'm actually quite old, I'm older than I feel, really, just let me get on with my business, please."

"And exactly what would that 'business' be?" Arthur asked accusingly.

"I'm coming home" He said, walking down the path to his mother's front door.

As expected, his mother cried, a lot when she saw him. She'd aged a lot since he last saw her, although he'd aged too, it was only fair. She hugged him fiercely, threatening to never let him go. He laughed and hugged her back. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been hugged like this.

She made him a cup of tea and sat him down, insisting he told her all about where he'd been. He got as far telling her about going to Africa when he decided he was going to fall asleep then and there. Hunith had simply and laughed and walked him to his old room, which hadn't changed since he was a confused sixteen year old.

He promised to tell her everything tomorrow, and assured her that he wasn't going anywhere.

When he woke up, he showered and shaved, really looking at his face for first time since he left. His cheekbones still stuck out, and he had dark circles around his eyes. His face looked weathered, but not completely unattractive. His dark hair was too long, curling around his sticky out ears and his pale neck. He changed into a clean pair of jeans and a blue jumper before heading downstairs.

His mother smiled at him, her blue eyes crinkling. They decided to go out for breakfast, Hunith promised to show him around the town, apparently it had changed a lot since the Pendragons took over.

Merlin walked a little behind Hunith, taking in the scenes around him, it was like he never even lived here. The small town seemed inconsequential to everything he'd seen and done, but it was always home in his heart. They walked to the silver spoon cafe, which had been there since before Merlin had been born. Hunith thought he might need something familiar after everything in the town had changed. And it was a town now, not the measly Village he left.

They sat at a table towards the counter, Merlin shied away from the window. They looked over the Menus in silence, not really knowing what to say.

"Hunith" a voice rang out next to them, Hunith smiled at Gwen.

"Hello, dear"

"Are you alright, Arthur said someone was hanging out outside your house, said he looked a bit creepy" She shuddered delicately; any sign of trouble was almost always over exaggerated.

"Said person is sitting right here" Merlin said, annoyed.

Gwen turned to look at him, no sense of recognising him, Merlin smiled. "You haven't changed a bit"

Her mouth dropped open. "Merlin?"

"The one and only"

"Oh, my god! How are you? I haven't seen you in..."

"Fifteen years" Merlin filled in for her. He passed her the menu. "I'll have the big breakfast, thanks"

Gwen nodded mutely. Then turned to Hunith. "Same for me, please dear."

She walked off to the kitchen to put the order in to Gilli.

"Merlin that was rude" His mother scorned.

He shrugged uncomfortably. "Sorry, it's just a bit weird being home after all this time." Hunith held his hand gently.

"I'm glad you're back, Merlin, it was never the same without you"

"I missed you" He told her earnestly.

"So, tell me more about your travels" Merlin launched into story after story while eating their breakfasts. They ordered coffees after, and stayed until noon.

Hunith sighed, looking at her watch. "I'll have to get to work; they could only give me the morning off on such short notice"

Merlin grinned. "No problem, I'll walk with you, is Gaius' book shop still open? I wouldn't mind haven't a look around there"

They walked arm in arm down the street, Hunith pointed out all the new and renovated buildings, talking about who did what now. People gave Merlin curious looks, but no one approached, which he was grateful for.

He slipped into the book store, which hadn't seemed to have changed in the fifteen years he'd been away. The bell chimed through the shop. Merlin looked towards the counter, where Gaius was talking to someone. Someone blonde, Merlin realised sadly, the Blonde man outside his mother's house.

Gaius' eyes widened as he took in Merlin. "I don't believe it!" He exclaimed happily. "Is it really you, Merlin?"

"It's really me" He said, as Gaius came around the counter to envelope him in a hug.

"My dear boy, I thought you'd gone"

"No, no, I came back, that was always the plan, although I had planned to come back sooner, I just..." He trailed off; he just didn't want to come back. He loved going to new places, loved not being known, getting to know new people.

"I understand, after what happened that night, I understand"

Merlin smiled half heartedly; he knew it wouldn't take long for that to come up.

"where have you been?"

"Where haven't I been?" Merlin grinned. Gaius seemed to remember his customer then, and whipped around to introduce to two.

"Merlin, this is Arthur Pendragon, Arthur, this is Merlin, Huniths boy"

"We've met already" Merlin forced himself to sound polite, even though he thought this Arthur was a bit of a prat. Actually, a lot of a prat.

Arthur scratched his head "Yeah, sorry about that, I didn't realise you were Huniths son, I didn't know what you looked like"

"Its fine, why wouldn't you be rude to a complete stranger" Merlin said coolly.

Arthur seemed gobsmacked by that, so Merlin took it as a win, and wandered off to look at the books.

Later that evening, Merlin insisted on cooking tea for Hunith when she got home, and she told him all about her job, and Matthew, who she had apparently been seeing for a while (And Merlin didn't pull a face at that, at all)

After showing off his fantastic cooking skills, Hunith went to bed, and Merlin sat in the tiny living room, which had hardly changed. The furniture may have been new, and the curtains were defiantly new, but the wallpaper was the same, as were the photos on the wall and the mantelpiece.

There was a knock on the door, and Merlin frowned, wandering who could be here at 10 o clock on a Wednesday night.

Arthur stood outside, the soft light of the lamppost behind him made him look more like an angel than anyone had any right to. "Hello" He smiled, and thank god, Merlin thought bitterly, he had a crooked tooth, he knew no one could be that perfect, despite the shitty personality.

"Hello" Merlin said, although it sounded more like a question.

"I wanted to apologise to you again, for being rude. I didn't realise who you were, it's just that, well, there's not anyone in this town I don't know, you kind of threw me."

"That's what I'm here for" Merlin smirked. "To completely throw you off balance, then like a ghost, I'll be gone before you know it"

"I don't want you to go" Arthur blurted out.

"What?"

"I mean, you just got here, and Hunith would be devastated if you left again, you should see her when she talks about you, or when she gets a postcard, her whole face just lights up."

"Oh, well...Apology accepted then, goodnight" Merlin went to shut the door, tried desperately hard to shut door, but Arthur stopped it with his foot.

"I feel really bad for talking to you the way I did" Merlin felt like he was missing something, or maybe Arthur was missing something, like brain cells.

"Yes, and you've apologised, and I accepted like normal people do, and now I'd like you to go, since it's 10 o clock and I'm sure you have a very important job to get up for tomorrow, and doesn't eight hours sleep seem wonderful?"

Arthur laughed a little shakily. Pushing his hair back. "I'm not very good at this, in fact, I'm shit at this"

"At what?"

"I'm trying to ask you out!"

"Oh, why?"

Arthur just stared, a little bit dumbstruck

"Because...Did I mention that I'm really sorry about –"

"Yes, yes, you apologised, I really don't think it's necessary to apologise this many times!"

"Go to dinner with me, tomorrow night, at 7" It wasn't a question, more like a demand.

"I...No, I don't want to"

"Then I'm not moving."

"Yes, you are"

"Not until you agree to go to dinner with me...tomorrow night...at 7"

"No!"

Arthur leant against the door frame so Merlin couldn't slam it in his face.

"Fine, I'll go to a stupid dinner with you if it will get you the hell away from my house"

"Great!" Arthur grinned "I'll pick you up tomorrow, dress nice"

"What time would that be?" Merlin muttered sarcastically, slamming the door shut.

Despite himself, Merlin was nervous. He dressed in a pair of black jeans he'd acquired from Paris, and a deep blue button down shirt.

"You look nice" His mother commented at 6:45.

"I'm going on a date" He muttered, trying to do something, anything with his too long hair.

"Well, that didn't take you long" She smiled, "Who with?"

He hesitated, looking at his reflection in the mirror, why on earth was he going on a date with this bloke? He'd only ever met him twice. "Arthur Pendragon, apparently"

His mother nodded. "He's a lovely young man"

"How young?"

Hunith rolled her eyes "A couple of years older than you, honestly Merlin are you...are you smelling your armpits?"

Merlin's arm froze in the air, his nose stuck in his armpit. "No?"

"How did you manage fifteen years on your own?"

"I wasn't on my own, I made friends, lots of friends"

"Did you act like an ape?"

"Of course not, mother, I don't pick fleas off of people, although Gwaine was the exception to that particular rule"

Hunith shook her head as the doorbell rung. They looked at each other evenly before Merlin dashed for the door. He should not be feeling this nervous!

Arthur looked more like a model than a date should. He was wearing a red shirt, obviously 10 times more expensive than anything Merlin had ever owned, and a pair of black fitted trousers. He smiled, almost timid. "I half expected you not to answer the door"

"You'd have probably knocked it down"

"True, shall we" He gestured behind him.

"Sure" Merlin grabbed his keys from the hook and shut the door from behind him.

The walk to the restaurant was not nearly as awkward as he thought it would be, Arthur chatted about nothing, general things happening around the town and the weather.

The restaurant was new, in Merlin's eyes, although had assured him it had been here for at least five years. It was a posh Italian restaurant, although where anyone in Ealdor learnt to cook decent Italian food baffled Merlin to no end, Arthur just found it hilarious. The waiter greeted Arthur warmly, leading them to Arthurs 'usual' table.

Once seated, Merlin raised an eyebrow at him. "So, bring many of your dates here?"

Arthur snorted. "I don't date"

"So I'm what, the cats mother?"

"You're the exception"

"Oh" Merlin couldn't help grinning, and Arthur smiled in return. "So, why do you have a usual table then?"

"I bring my sister here, or you know, boring business lunches"

"I see" Merlin said, hiding behind the oversized menu. "I think I'll have the risotto"

"I'm leaning more towards the steak"

Merlin snorted "I _knew_ you'd be a steak kind of a man"

"Whats that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, going for the 12oz t-bone steak, by any chance? Something manly?"

Arthur glared. "Over compensating for something?"

Arthur threw his napkin at him "Idiot"

"Prat"

They both grinned down at the menu, not meeting each other's eyes. The waiter came along then, an unfortunate looking man who announced himself as 'George'

"What can I get for you gentlemen tonight?"

"The steak, for myself, cooked medium rare, on the bone thanks, and the mushroom risotto for my date, thank you. And a bottle of your best red wine" Arthur looked to Merlin. "I assume you like wine?"

"I like good wine" Merlin sneaked a peak at George, whose blank expression hadn't changed.

"Very good, sir. Can I get you some breadsticks to start?"

"That would be great, thank you George" Arthur handed back the menus. George went to turn away, and then turned to Merlin abruptly.

"Merlin Emrys, right? You were in the year below me at school" He said.

"The one and only" Merlin grinned.

"Hm, I had a bet on with Morris that you were dead somewhere" He turned away then, and stalked off towards the kitchen

"Well...that was rude" Merlin frowned

"Probably shouldn't have insulted the wine"

They talked easily, it turned out Arthur wasn't as much of a prat as he first thought. Merlin told him about some of his adventures, about Gwaine who lived in the mountains in New Zealand, he called himself a taller, much more attractive hobbit. About Freya, who'd managed to miraculously save his life after a horrible fall off a balcony in Sweden, and about Lance, who was the beautifully honourable man he'd ever known.

Arthur told him about his family, about how they'd saved the town from shutting down. His father had always had a soft spot for small towns, and it had always saddened him to see them fizzle away to nothing.

They ate and laughed and drank what Merlin considered 'Semi decent' wine until they were a bit drunk. Then they strolled to the park and lay down on the unseasonably dry grass. Pointing out constellations they knew, and some they made up, giggling at the ridiculous names.

"So, go on, why did you leave" Arthur finally asked, the question had been on the tip of his tongue all night, and he'd finally got the nerve to ask. When he'd asked his friends, they all just said it was because of the accident, but no one would tell him what happened.

Merlin took a deep breath, his eyes hooded. "Me and my best friend Will were messing about on the train tracks one night, walking along, as you do. We were only sixteen, no trains were meant to come through there that time of night, but the tracks in Cardiff were closed, a tree had fallen on the line, so they'd diverted the train through Ealdor. We didn't know, we didn't hear it until it was too late. I got out the way in time, but Will – " He stopped, his voice shaking. "The train hit him, killed him instantly, they said at the hospital."

"Merlin"

"He always wanted to travel; we were going to travel together. We were going to get the hell out of this dead end town. We never thought we belonged here. So, after he died, I took as much money as I had, got a train ticket, got a plane ticket, and got the hell out of here, and the rest is history"

Arthur rolled over to face him. He was beautiful, his pale skin bathed in the moonlight, he looked unnatural, and Arthur thought that, maybe he didn't really exist. He stroked his cheek, running his thumb over his sharp cheekbones. Merlin rolled over so their faces were just inches apart.

Arthur's breath hitched, if he just moved forward he could kiss him. Would kiss him. He was a Pendragon dammit; he wasn't scared of kissing someone, even if they were as exquisite as Merlin was. He leant forward and captured Merlin's lips between his own. Painfully soft and slow, their lips moved together, tongues dancing together, their hands clasped together between them. He didn't think he'd been this happy in a long time.

Merlin and Arthur sat crossed legged on Merlin's bed, the cream scrap book between them.

"This is everything I've been up to in the past 15 years, I always updated it, wherever I went, I got a camera from somewhere and took photos, made memories."

Arthur opened the book, on the first page, was a very young looking Merlin with his arm around a ruddy looking boy, written underneath was:

_In memory of William Josef Myers, who always wanted to travel around the world, to make a difference. But he was needed in Heaven, so I did this for you, so you can look down and pretend you're here too, because you've always stayed with me._

Arthur turned the pages, looking at pictures of beautiful landscapes, and postcards and pictures of Merlin standing next someone. There were messages written underneath some of the photos. There was a picture of Merlin in a Hospital gown, looking beaten and worn down, with a cast of his arm and leg, stitches on his head, but still smiling brightly. Next to him, was a pretty girl, wearing a nurses uniform, who looked like she was laughing at Merlin. Underneath there was a message saying:

_To my favourite patient, you're the only person I was upset to discharge, I'll never forget the man who fell off a second floor balcony and woke up asking for a vegetable pasty! You always brightened my day. I love you always, Freya xx_

There were more pictures, of a group of school children in Africa, and camels in front of the pyramids. There was a picture of Merlin and a man with long brown hair and a shaggy beard sitting on deck chairs in the snows, wearing shorts and t-shirts and sunglasses, holding a beer up to the camera.

There were pictures of the northern lights, of waterfalls and islands in the middle of the sea. There were pictures taken at the top of mountains and at the bottom of ditches.

Arthur decided it was the best thing he'd ever seen, and smiled at Merlin brilliantly, 10 minutes later, eyes bright with unshed tears at the messages at the back of the book.

"Would you do it again? Would go back to travelling?"

Merlin thought about it for a moment. "Nah, I've found something worth staying for"

There was a great big world out there, Merlin had seen it all, and nothing compared to Arthurs smile.


End file.
